Kansas City Chiefs vs Los Angeles Rams: Game Notes

After the game on Saturday, Derrick Johnson had a quote that was basically saying that what used to be two or three yard runs are now going for five or six. While the inside linebacker spot next to Johnson has had some issues this preseason (more on that in a minute) I believe a big reason these runs are going longer is because the linebackers aren’t able to hit the gaps unblocked like they have been when the defensive line is more focused on clogging lanes than they are on causing disruption.

Getting Eric Berry back on the field will help police the box some but KC fans REALLY need to hope that Tamba Hali can stay healthy and effective, that Dee Ford can provide SOME kind of pressure, and that Justin Houston can eventually come back and contribute sometime this season. If those things don’t happen I’m just not sure how good the defense as a whole can be.

Now let’s get to some individual notes:

*D.J. White had a horrible first play getting out of position but I still like him more than Steven Nelson. I am REALLY hoping that Phillip Gaines can come back healthy and start on the outside and White can be KC’s nickel corner. I like White’s physicality inside and I feel like he sticks closer to receivers in coverage than Nelson.

Nelson doesn’t get beat badly, but he’s usually one step behind the wideout and a good quarterback is going to pick on him all day long. We’ve seen that happen with guys like Jamell Fleming and Marcus Cooper in past seasons and right now Nelson looks like he’ll continue that tradition if he is on the field on a regular basis.

Next: Bring back Berry...